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Board 10 Chair Laments Demolition of 77th St. House

Board 10 Chair Laments Demolition of 77th St. House

Bay Ridge — The demolition of a century-old Ridge Boulevard house, an act that caused an uproar in the neighborhood, could lead to a renewed effort by Community Board 10 to preserve old homes.

Board 10 Chairman Joanne Seminara called the demolition of the house at 7620 Ridge Boulevard earlier this month “a shocking event,” and said the board should “find a way to make sure actions like this are deterred.”

Speaking at the board’s Jan. 23 meeting, Seminara mentioned two articles featured in the Bay Ridge Eagle’s Jan. 19 edition — one dealing with the house being demolished and another about the Historic Districts Council of New York naming Bay Ridge as one of six neighborhoods that merit preservation — and said the articles “speak to our very reasons for being here.”

The three-story private house at 7620 Ridge Boulevard was torn down without a city permit, according to officials. The city issued a permit only for interior renovations, officials said.

The New York City Department of Buildings issued a “stop work” order at the site after the house was torn down to prevent any further construction work, but the order was “too little too late,” Seminara said.

The designation by the Historic Districts Council is significant, Seminara said.

“We know that we need to continue to protect and preserve our wonderful neighborhoods and acknowledging this honor is a good way to start the New Year as we re-dedicate ourselves to this cause as community board members,” Seminara told her colleagues.